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Jason Worilds wants to stay -- as starter

Worilds wants to stay -- as starter

Updated: January 31, 2014
By Scott Brown | ESPN.com

Jason Worilds is open to re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March, with one caveat: The outside linebacker has to be confident he has secured a starting job.

Worilds led the Steelers with eight sacks in 2013, starting 11 games -- one more than he had started in his first three years combined -- during a breakout season. He also finished second on the team with 29 quarterback pressures and recorded 63 tackles with two forced fumbles.

Pittsburgh made a mistake allowing rising star Keenan Lewis to bolt to New Orleans last offseason. They should do everything they can to avoid making a similar miscalculation with Jason Worilds, writes Scott Brown. Story

When asked if he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, Worilds told ESPN.com during a telephone interview, "If the circumstances are right, for sure. They haven't been right for me in the past. I wouldn't want to fall back into (not starting) again."

The 6-foot-2, 262-pounder emerged after a nagging calf injury sustained by LaMarr Woodley provided an opening at left outside linebacker.

Worilds recorded five sacks in his final six games -- he missed the regular-season finale with an abdominal injury -- and showed why the Steelers used a second-round pick on him in 2010.

Worilds, who had been starting at right outside linebacker prior to Woodley's injury, has positioned himself to cash in as an unrestricted free agent. And the Steelers probably have to make a decision between Worilds and Woodley based on economics and the fact that they invested a first-round pick on Jarvis Jones last year.

Woodley, who signed a six-year, $61.5 contract in 2011, is scheduled to make $8 million in 2014 with a salary cap hit of $13.59 million. The seven-year veteran could be a cap casualty, and the Steelers would save millions in regards to the cap if they released Woodley after June 1.

The Steelers are currently around $10 million over the cap, and it would be difficult for them to clear the kind of room it would take to re-sign Worilds and keep Woodley.

Worilds said he has not been given any indication by the Steelers about what their plans at outside linebacker.

"I've just been patient and (waiting to) see how the Steelers view me," said Worilds, who has been training in his native New Jersey. "The biggest thing is just being in the right situation."

Steelers president Art Rooney II mentioned Worilds specifically during a recent conference call with season ticket-holders when asked about the team's top priorities regarding its own free agents.

And Worilds, the former Virginia Tech star, tops the list of Steelers players who can become unrestricted free agents on March 11 despite a slow start to his career. He started sparingly his first three seasons in the NFL, playing behind Woodley and James Harrison. He missed two offseasons due to the NFL lockout in 2011 and his recovery from surgery that fixed a ligament tear in his wrist the following year, which hindered his development.

Worilds, who turns 26 in March, said the impact he made in 2013 simply stemmed from playing on a regular basis.

"It's been rough just to get on the field, especially when you probably could have helped the team in years past, but you just weren't given an opportunity," Worilds said. "The opportunity came this year, and I did well with it. For me to get out there and play consistently I kind of feel like I showed some people what I could do."

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I know he didn't miss a lot of games due to injury. But didn't he lose a LOT of offseason work because of injuries? Like most of a camp bc of the wrist? or am I mis-remembering (isn't that the term liberals use?)

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Originally Posted by birtikidis

I know he didn't miss a lot of games due to injury. But didn't he lose a LOT of offseason work because of injuries? Like most of a camp bc of the wrist? or am I mis-remembering (isn't that the term liberals use?)

you are correct with the wrist injury.
cut woodley 6/1 and make worilds a reasonable offer (3-4 per year is all im willing to gamble on a 4 year player that had 6 good games and had injuries issues)
woodley, troy, ike, heath. these contracts are killing us. no need to start again with worilds

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I'd sign Worilds and keep Woodley for at least another year. Let's see what Woodley could do on the right and JJ in the middle.

And can we bring Adrian Robinson back somehow? Not sure where he is now, but he looked like a very natural pass rusher off the right. I thought he was gonna be the next big UDFA in Pittsburgh. Now Arnfelt's the UDFA that I think might be able to do something for us.

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good fro worilds.
i hope he sticks to his guns and refuses to return unless its at woodleys position.

on a side note. i think worilds was given opportunitites in the past. he either was hurt or couldnt beat out better players.

Yeah, man. This guy comes off here a little bit annoying. He acts like he's been held down or something.

In 2010, he wasn't beating out no James Harrison or prime Woodley.
In 2011, he got seven chances to start, filling in for injuries. He did squat.
In 2012, he (again) could not unseat Harrison or Woodley. And he so failed to inspire confidence in the FO, they ended up drafting another guy to step in.
In 2013, he couldn't clearly outshine said rookie, losing to him in job competition. He couldn't beat Woodley out either, because Woodley still outperformed him (5 sacks, 5 games) until he got hurt.

I wouldn't mind letting this guy walk, though I know that letting young guys walk is a hallmark of bad franchises.

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Originally Posted by flippy

I'd sign Worilds and keep Woodley for at least another year. Let's see what Woodley could do on the right and JJ in the middle.

And can we bring Adrian Robinson back somehow? Not sure where he is now, but he looked like a very natural pass rusher off the right. I thought he was gonna be the next big UDFA in Pittsburgh. Now Arnfelt's the UDFA that I think might be able to do something for us.

Flippy I think Robinson was involved in the Felix Jones trade with Philly. But then I also remember thinking Philly cut him right away or something.